Box-filling machine.



M. M. ROBE. BOX FILLING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION IILBD .TAN.2, 1908.

906,291 Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THENvRms PETERS ca., wAsHmaroN. n. c.

M. M. ROBB.

BOX FILLING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JAlm, 190e.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. M. ROBB.

B0X FILLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.2,1908. 906,29 1 Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

' 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

` @MMM mlwym i ,Jnz'ktro O THE NORRIS PETERS C0. WASHINGTON. D4 C,

M. M. ROBB. l B0X FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1908.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

M. M. ROBB.

BOX FILLING MAGHINE. APPLICATION PILED'JAN'. 2, 190s.

906291.` Patented 1390.8, 190s.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

M. M. ROBB.

Y BOX FILLING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED ulm, 190s..

Patented Dec. 8,v 1908..

e SHEETS- SHEET a,

narran srnilns Parana." onnrcn.

MORTIMER M. ROBB, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO UNION MATCH COMPANY, OF DULUTII, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

BOX-FILLING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters` Patent.

Patented nec. s, 190s.

Application filed January 2, 1908., Serial No. 409,000.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTIMER M. ROBB, residing in Duluth, in the county of StLouis and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Box-Filling Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to means for assorting and arranging material for, and putting it into, boxes.

The mechanism, herewith shown and described, which embodies a form of my invention, is especially adapted for receiving, asserting, arranging, parallelizing and putting matches, as they are discharged from a match making machine, into boxes, of such size and form as are adapted and commonly used for holding matches for shipping, for sale, and for use.

The invention may be embodied in other equivalent forms of mechanism, and may be employed for boxing other things than matches.

The invention consists in the mechanism, its parts, and combinations of parts, as herein described and claimed, or the equivalents thereof. Y

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevationn of the improved box-lling machine, looking at it from the front in connection with a fragment of a match machine, of a form with which this form of box-filling machine is adapted to be used. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the box iilling machine, parts being broken away for convenience of illustration; and with a fragment of the match machine, in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in longitudinal section, of that part of the box filling machine at the left in Fig. l; a series of boxes in sectionbeing also shown to illustrate how they are fed into and filled by the machine. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the end of a match feed-way, and a section of the tray carrier, with related mechanisms. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section from front to rear of the tray carrier and the match feedway, and related mechanisms being those mostly shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical section longitudinally of a fragment of the tray carrier and its supporting trough-way and related supporting devices. Fig. 7 is a fragment of the box feeding and applying mechanism, the tray carrier being omitted.

chine, brackets 3, 3 are Fig. 8 is a view of the inside of the guide for boxes, and of its elastic fingers shown in Fig. 7, at the right. Fig. 9 is a plan of a fragment of the box runway, shown in position at the left in Figs. l and 3. Fig. 10 is a transverse section of this box runway, on line 10- 10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a detail showing one of the feed rollers and the related partitions of the match feed-way, which feed-way is shown in position in Figs. 2,4 and 5. And Fig. 12 is a detail of a tray carrier-supporting and tension device.

This improved box-filling machine is especially adapted for use with a match machine from which the nished matches are ejected from horizontal rows of the match carrier permitting them to fall therefrom in such manner that they may drop into the tray carrier of this box-filling machine. A match machine of this general character is shown and described in the Wyman patent No; 57 0,529 of November 3, 1896.

In the drawings, A A represent upright members of the frame of the match machine, and B B represent the perforated plates of an endless match carrier of that machine, from which the finished matches are discharged row by row.

For supporting the box-filling machine mechanism conveniently, and preferably by attaching it to the frame of the match marovided, which brackets are in a generally right angled form, the vertical member of which may be secured to the frame of the match machine by bolts 4, 4. A flat elongated horizontally disposed bed 5 rests on the brackets 4, 4 and may be secured thereto by bolts 6. The bed is advisably provided with a marginal, downwardly-projecting, reinforcing fiange 7, and the brackets 3, 3 are provided at the rear ends of their upper members, with transverse recesses 8, 8, adapted to receive the flange 7 therein, and permit of the adjustment of the bed toward the front or rear thereon, the bolt apertures in the brackets y plates 10, 10, one flange or member of each angle iron being made to overlap a corre sponding member of the other angle iron to together form the bottom of the way, as shown best in Fig. 5. That portion 11 of the outer upright member or wall of the member 10 of this trough-way, that is opposite the match carrier, is advisably raised a little higher than is necessary for the remainder of the walls of this trough-way, to serve as a guard or wall to prevent matches as they come to this trough-way, from going over it. The upright walls 10, 10 of this trough-Way are recessed along their entire lengths near the bottom on the inside thereof, to receive therein and retain against buckling up, the tray carrier hereinafter to be described. This trough-way 9 is provided medially with a supporting block 12 (Figs. 1 and 3) secured rigidly thereto, which block rests on the bed 5, and the trough-way is pivoted to the bed by a bolt 13. At its rear end the troughway is rovided with a block 14 secured to the unc er side of the trough-way, which block rests and is movable laterally with the trough-way on the bed. Near its front end this trough-way is provided with a dovetailed transverse slide iece 15 bolted to the under side of the troug way, which slide fits in a correspondingly dove-tailed channel therefor in a block 16, (Figs. 1, 5, 6,) which bloclr is pivoted on the bed 5 by a bolt 17. A

itman 18 connecting at one end on to a stud bolt 19 fixed in the slide 15 fits and rides at the other end on an eccentric 20 on the shaft 21 mounted vertically in suitable bearings therefor on the bed 5, and provided with a pinion 22 that is geared by a cog wheel-to the driving shaft 23. By this means the tray carrier 9, and the parts carried thereon, are caused to oscillate, the vibration or oscillation being reversed on that portion of the tray that is at the left (Fig. l) of the pivot 13 from what it is at the right of that pivot, and the extent or length of the motion being greater in each case as the distance from the pivot 13` increases. The driving shaft 23 is mounted in hangers 24, 24 secured to and depending from the bed 5, and may be driven from any suitable source of power, conveniently by a sprocket chain 25 running from it to a suitable wheel on a shaft in the match machine.

For receiving the matches as they are discharged and fall from the plates B of the car rier of the match machine, temporary partitioned trays are provided, which being suitably connected together form the endless tray carrier 26. This tray carrier is formed of sheet metal, a single piece or sheet, having its opposite marginal longitudinal edges turned up at right angles to the intermediate portion, which intermediaterportion forms the bottom 27 ofthe tray, the upturned margins forming the side walls 28, 28 thereof, the

side Walls 28 being extended longitudinally forming ears 29 at each end of each tray, which ears on one tray overlap those of the abutting tray, and are'pivoted thereto by rivets 30 forming the bottoms and side walls of an endless series of trays, or the tray carrier 26. This endless chain of bottoms and side Walls, is divided into a continuous and unseparated series of trays and compartments of such size as is desired, by transverse partitions 31, which are conveniently made of a piece of sheet metal provided with a right angled flange 32 at one end to lit on the bottom 27 of a tray, and with other, side flanges or wings 33 made to fit against the side walls 28 of the trays, and the partitions are secured to the trays by rivets through these side wings and the side walls of the trays. The partitions 31 proj ect outwardly from the trays a distance substantially equal to the depth of the trays. The upper line of this endless tray carrier 26 fits into and runs along in the trough-way 9, the side walls 28 of the carrier fitting into the recesses in the side walls of the trough-way 9, whereby the carrier is retained in position, against accidental displacement, while traveling in and along the trougheway. This endless tray carrier at its rear. end is carried on polygonal wheels 34 which are fixed on the driven shaft 35, the shaft being mounted rotatively in brackets 36 which are secured, one at each side, to the bed 5, conveniently by bolts 37 through ears on the brackets. The shaft 35 is rotated intermittently by means of a ratchet Wheel 38 tight on the shaft, which is engaged releasably by a click pawl 39 pivoted on a sector arm 40 revolubly loose on shaft 35, thepawl being held to releasable engagement with the wheel by a spring 41. The sector arm 40 is oscillated by a pitman 42 ivoted thereto, and riding at its other end oy a strap connection on the eccentric 43 fixed on a shaft 44, which shaft is mounted in hangers 45 secured to and depending from the bed 5. This shaft 44 is provided with a friction disk 46, which is contacted by a friction wheel 47 splined and shiftable on driving shaft 23. The friction wheel 47 is provided with a hub 48 having an annular groove therein in which groove pins ride that are fixed in the furcate 'fingers of a shifting lever 49. By this arrangement of driving mechanism for the tray carrier, its motion can be timed to adapt it to so pass the match carrier that it will receive the desired number of matches to be put in the boxes when they are transferred from this tray carrier to the boxes. At its other or initial end of its run,

,the tray carrier 26 is carried on other idle polygonal wheels 50 on axle 51 mounted in radial arms 52 (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 12,) which arms are adjustable endwise and radially on bolts 53 and in channels therefor in crown ratchet toothed disks 54 loose on the bolts 53. The

arms 52 are provided withelongated slots through which the bolt 53 passes, to permit of the endwise adjustment oi the arms 52 thereon. Complementary crown ratchet toothed disks 55 are iixed on the respective sides of the trough-way 9, and the disks 54 engage these iixed disks 55 adjustably. The disks 54 are clamped to disks 55 by nuts on bolts 53. By the construction just described, the arms 52 can be adjusted un or down to suitably regulate the position oli the Wheels 50 to properly carry the tray carrier on to the trough-way 9, and also the arms 52 can be swung toward the right or left as required to obtain the proper tension in the tray carrier.

For transferring the matches X when discharged from the plates B of the match carrier to the tray carrier 26, a match feed-way, as wide as the entire stream of matches being discharged thereon, is provided, which is adapted to transport the matches in the same endwise position in which they are discharged from the match carrier, by active means of propulsion, and so guiding them that they cannot swing or slue around until they are discharged from this feed-way into the cornpartinents of the tray carrier, which -comj artments are made so narrow as to prevent the matches from sluing around after they have been deposited in these carrier trays. In this match feed-way a series of rollers 56 are ournaled in two frame plates 57, (Figs. 2, 4, 5, 11,) which trame plates rest on and are secured to the bed 5. These rollers are arranged parallel to each other and near together, and so that the plane of their axes is inclined downwardly slightly virom the initial end of the feed-way to the discharging end thereof. The rollers are advisably of such diameter and are so near to each other, that matches being carried over them endwise, transversely of the rollers, in the manner indicated in Fig. 5, will at all times rest on at least two ot' the rollers. For rotating these rollers all in the same direction whereby they are made to actively carry the matches from the match carrier to the tray carrier, the journal of one of the intermediate rollers, advisably the middle one 56a, is provid ed with a sprocket toothed wheel 58, on which a sprocket chain 59 runs to a sprocket toothed wheel on the driving shaft 23. At the other end this roller 56a, and all the other rollers of this series, are provided with gear wheels 50, each two of which mesh with an idle toothed wheel 60PL of a series of idle wheels mounted on arbors fixed on the frame plate 57. By this means concurrent and homogeneous motion is given to the rollers 56 whereby they are made to actively transport the matches along the feedway. That the matches may be thus transported endwise and parallel with each other along this feed-way, a series of partitions 61 conveniently made oi' sheet metal, is provided, which partitions may be supported in position, conveniently by being secured to and made to depend from one or more rails 62, (advisably two,) secured to the frame plates 57 and extending across the feed-way at a distance above the rollers. These partitions are of such length as to extend substantially the entire length of the feed-way, and advisably are of such number and placed at such little distances apart, as to be adapted to receive only a few matches, perhaps three, between each two of the partitions. Also advisably the rollers 56 are grooved circumferentially, and these partitions extend down into the grooves thereby preventing any displacement of the partitions, and avoiding the liability of splinters getting under the edges of the partitions.

lt will be understood, that the mechanism herein before specilically described includes means for transferring the matches as they are discharged from the carrier of a match machine to the tray carrier consisting of an endless chain having permanent` partitions and narrow compartments into which the matches fall in substantially parallel positions, and that by the oscillation of the trough-way the matches are so j arred or stirred as to settle them down in the compartments in suoli. com act manner that the trays may be complete y filled with matches, it being noted that the vibration of the troughway is greatest at that part of it through which the trays come iirst beneath the stream of discharged and falling matches, and that such vibration is gradually lessened even to the vanishing point at the pivotal point of the trough-way near the locality at which the compartments pass beyond the stream ot' falling matches, and that thereafter the shake or vibration oi' the trough-way is in a reverse direction increasing somewhat in extent to the distant or rear end ot the trough-way. Because the trough-way does not extend rearwardly to the extreme end of the run of the tray carrier in that direction, and because the carrier is flexible and runs loosely in the tray carrier, there is no mechanical diiculty in this vibration of the trough-way even though the tray carrier is carried at its rear end on the polygonal wheels 34 that are mounted in the permanently located bed 5. Having thus provided for putting the matches in proper positions into this endless tray carrier having these numerous upwardly projecting rigid partitions, it is now in order to describe the means by which these matches are transferred from this tray carrier into paper board boxes of the character commonly employed in which matches are put up for sale and use. For this purpose a box runway 63, (Figs. 1, 3, 9, 10,) is employed. This runway is conveniently formed with a thin sheet metal bottom 64 having side walls 65, and

overhanging top ledges 66, which ledges, side walls and bottom are secured together by screws or bolts in a common manner of similar constructions. The runway is of such size and form as to permit of the easy and free passage of the match. boxes through it, except that near the lower end the side walls are thickened somewhat projecting inwardly opposite each other forming cheeks 67 so located as to engage each box frictionally with just sufficient Contact to prevent the box by the mere weight of itself and succeeding boxes, from passing this point, but permitting the box and boxes to pass these cheeks under slight additional force applied to move them along. This box runway is located at and above the rear end` of the upper line of the tray carrier, and is dis osed in inclined position so that boxes p aced therein at the upper end thereof will slide down the runway by gravity. The lower end of this runway may be supported conveniently by standards 68 fixed on the bed 5 and secured to the runway. The upper end of the runway may be supported by any convenient means, (not shown,) such for instance as the frame of the match machine or some part of the building in which the machine is set. The location and positionof this runway is such that a box Y discharged therefrom in the direction of the runway will pass directly on to the tray carrier as a single tray or link thereof comes to and passes on to a face of the polygonal wheels 34, the first partition 61 of a tray entering the overturned box and engaging with the front end thereof and moving the box with the carrier while passing around the polygonal wheels and until the box separates from the carrier as hereinafter described.V The match boxes are placed in this runway at its upper end bottom side up and slide down it by gravity, but as it is necessary that these boxes be discharged from the runway in proper time that a front partition of' each link or tray of the tray carrier will be in position to engage the front end of the box, means are provided for regulating t-he movel ment of the boxes downwardly through the runway so as to accomplish this properly timed discharge of the boxes from the runway. For this purpose two short shafts 69 and 70 at a little distance apart are mounted transversely of the runway in hangers 71 secured to the sides of the runway Yand projecting downwardly therefrom, and the shaft 69 is provided with a sprocket wheel 72 and the shaft 70 with an idle wheel 73 on which an endless sprocket chain 74 runs. These wheels and the sprocket chain are located about centrally of the runway, and there is a slot in the bottom of the runway in and along which this sprocket chain runs, the outer surface of the upper line of this chain running parallel with and substantially flush with the inner surface of the bottom of the runway. This sprocket chain 74 is provided with outwardly projecting and advisably curved blades or paddles 75 at such distance apart and so disposed, as to be adapted severally to enter one of the overturned boxes when closely succeeding each other in the runway, and engage the front end of the box and push it forward downwardly thereby pushing the receding boxes in the line down to and inc uding the box at the lower end of they runway and then between and held yielding-ly against further forward movement by the cheeks 67 until such initial box in the runway shall have come to and been engaged by the rst partition of a tray of the tray carrier.

The addles 75 are advisably wider than the wi th of the s rocket chain 7 4, and the slot through the ottom of the runway is suitably enlarged at its ends to permit of the passage of these enlarged paddles therethrough. A sprocket chain 76 runs on a sprocket wheel 77 on shaft 69, and also on a sprocket wheel 78, on driving shaft 35, (Figs. l, 7, 9,) driving the shaft 69 concurrently with the shaft 35 whereby the sprocket chain 7.4 is timed to movement with the tray carrier.

As the partitions 61 project outwardly beyond the side walls of the trays of the tray carrier a distance substantially equal to the depth of the match box Y, and as the trays or links of the tray carrier 26 are substantially as long and as wide as a match box, it will be seen that as the match box comes to the carrier and its front end is engaged by the front partition of the tray the match box will come into position on the tray so that the edges of the side walls of the box will rest on the side walls of the tray thus forming compartments in the match box comple- Y mentary to the compartments in the tray, and the match box being held to the tray as it passes around the axle 35, each tray fitting to single faces of the polygonal wheels 34, the matches will pass by gravity from the compartments in the tray to the complementary or corres onding compartments in the match box, so t at when the match box has come to u right position below the polygonal whee s the matches will be in properly arranged positions, and will substantially fill the match box. To hold the match boxes as they succeed one another respectively to the links or trays of the carrier while passing around the polygonal wheels a curved elongated guide 79, (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8,) is employed which is supported in position concentric to shaft 35 on the arms or extensions of bracket 36. Secured to and projecting inwardly in a downward and forward direction from the guide 79 are a number of ilat elastic spring fingers 80, of such size and so disposed as to bear suitably against the bottom of l@easel each vmatch box while it is passing around the polygonal wheels 34, and hold 'it releasably to the tray of the tray carrier. From the lower end of the guide 79 a chute 81 extends in the direction oi the run and movement ofthe lower line ofthe tray'carrier, but diverging downwardly therefrom so that the 1n atch boxes thereon gradually separate from the tray carrier, leaving the boxes with their complement of matches. This chute 81 may terminate at :any convenient locality for van attendant to Vremove the boxes, but it is desirable that the boxes should be automatically carried a little distance'awayfrom the box 'lilling machine, and for this purpose the chute 81 is shown as terminating on the surface of a platform 82 in and along which and flush with the top surface thereof, the upper line of an endless apron 83 runs, and the boxes filled with matches being delivered from the chute 81 on to this apron, are carried thereby at right angles to the machine and to a distance therefrom. This apron at its inner end runs on a drum 84 iixed on a shaft 85 which is geared to a hub 86 revoluble on a stud pin, which hub is rotated by a sprocket chain 87 running also on a shaft 8S mounted in hangers depending from the 'bed 5, which shaft 88 has a cog Wheel '89 by which it is 'geared 'to the driving shaft 23.

What l c aim as my invention is:

1. 1n a box iilling machine, an endless carrier of elongated box-like trays having upwardly extending side and end walls and transverse partitions the side walls` of the trays being extended longitudinally forming ears by means of which the trays are pivoted together at their ends to form the endless carrier, wheels on which the carrier runs and by which it is moved forward constantly, a substantially horizontal trough-way in which the tray carrier travels medially along past and in and across a sheet-like falling stream of matches so disposed as to fall in substantially horizontal positions transversely of the trays and the carrier into the compartments thereof, and means adapted to vibrate the trough-way and carrier therein laterally giving the matches therein an endwise jar in the compartments and settling them down compactly in the trays.

2. 1n a box 'filling machine, an endless carrier composed of box-like open-top trays pivoted together at their ends forming the endless carrier, a horizontally disposed pivoted and swinging trough-way in which the tray carrier travels along across a wide sheet-like stream of Jfalling matches, wheels compelling the travel of the carrier, means oscillating the trough laterally the trough being so mounted and the means employed to oscillate it being vsuch as to give that portion of the trough in which the trays then are that are opposite and within the sheet of falling matches a greater vibration. where the trays in rtheir travel 'flirst come to Ithe lsheet of'fallfing matches and less where the trays 'are more nearly illed with and passed beyond the supply of matches.

3. 1n a box iilling machine, a movin' endless carrier comprising ielongated troug -like trays `the side walls of which `are extended endwise and are pivoted together as llinks of the carrier each tray having a transverse partition substantially at its front end and a partition or partitions at the rear thereof the rearmost partition in each tray being substantially as far in front oi" the rear end ofthe tray as the partitions are from yeach other dividing the carrier into a continuous and .unseparated series of narrow compartments,

a wheel or wheels on which the carrier trav els and around on which the trays are cai'- ried, means for delivering boxes substantially as long as the trays in proper time and in inverted position to the tray carrier at the top of such wheel or wheels in such manner that the front end of a box will be just in front of and will bear against the front partition of a tray and the rear portion of the box will project rearwardly beyond the rear partition substantially tothe rear end of the tray while the longitudinaledges'of the boxes severally i'it to the upturned longitudinal edges of the several trays, and means for holding the boxes to the exterior edges of the trays while passing with the carrier around the wheel yor wheels and until the box is turned over right side up.

4. In a box iilling machine, a moving endless tray carrier, consisting of a series of trough-like trays pivoted together as links with transverse partitions projecting outwardly beyond the sides of the trays and dividing the carrier into 'a continuous and unseparated series of compartments the front partition being substantially at the front end of the tray and therearmost partition being at a distance in front of the rear end of the tray equal to the distance of the partitions from each other, a revolving polygonal wheel or wheels on which the carrier is carried at its rear end, a box runway disposed to deliver inverted boxes substantially as long as the trays to the carrier at the top of the polygonal wheel, means for timing and actively delivering the boxes properly from the runway to the carrier in such time that the front end of each box will be caught and carried by the front partition in a tray, and means for holding the boxes severally to the exterior edges of the upturned side walls of the several carrier trays and over the projecting partitions while travelin with the carrier and the wheel from top to 'ottom and until the boxes are overturned to right side up.

5. In a box iilling machine, a match feedway, comprising a series of parallel rollers extending transversely of and forming a match carrying feed way inclined down- Wardly'from a source of match vsupply and a tray carrier into' which the feed rollers deliver matches continuously endwise transversely of the carrier.

6. In a box fillingv machine, a match feedway, com rising asuitable frame, a plurality of paralle rollers disposed transversely of the longitudinal direction of the feedway, and partitions above and close to the rollers and so disposed at a little distance apart that their planes extended will intersect the rollers at right angles to their axes.

7. In a box filling machine, a feedway, comprising a suitable frame, a plurality of annularly grooved arallel rollers disposed transversely of' the ongitudinal direction of the feedway, and partitions above and at right angles to the rollers and extending down into said annular grooves, adapted to separate and guide elongated material being carried over the rollers by the revolution thereof.

8. In `a box filling machine, a material feedway, comprising a suitable frame, a plurality of parallel rollers near together and disposed transversely of the longitudinal direction of the feedway and in an inclined plane in the direction of the feedway, cog Wheels on the journals of the rollers, means for rotating an intermediate one of the rollers, and idle cog wheels mounted on the frame arranged to transmit uniform motion from the driven intermediate roller to the rollers on both sides of the intermediate driven roller.

9. In a box filling machine, an endless tray match carrier consisting of a series of links troughelike in form each having a bottom and upturned sides which sides are extended longitudinally forming ears that at oneend of each tray lap on to the sides of the adjacent tray and are pivoted thereto and transverse artitions fixed in and projecting outward y from the trough-like links dividing the carrier into a plurality oi' narrow transverse compartments, and intermittently rotated polygonal wheels at the ends of its lines of travel on which the carrier nts and is carried.

l0. In a box filling machine, an endless tray carrier comprising troughelike links pivoted together, a plurality of transverse partitions in each trough-like link or tray the front partition being at the front end of the link or tray and the partitions being hiO'her than the depth of the tray, revolving po ygonal wheels on which the carrier is carried each face of the perimeter of the wheel being of a length tangentially equal to the length of a link of the carrier, and means for holding boxes of the size of a tray link bottom outward to the links exteriorly while passing with the link and wheel around the axis of the wheel from top to bottom.

11. In a' box filling machine, an endless match tray carrier, comprising tray-like links pivoted together and a plurality of therein fixed transverse partitions projectf ing outwardly beyond the tray links the front partition of each tray link being at the front end of the link the link being adapted to receive thereon a match box of the same size and shape the edges of whose sides fit on the top edges of the side walls of the tray links and cover over the tray link and its contents including the projecting partitions, polygonal wheels on which the carrier is carried, and means for holding the match boxes bottom outwardly yieldingly to the outer edges of the tray links While passing with the carrier and wheel around the axis of the wheel from top to bottom.

12. In combination With a flexible endless tray carrier having a trough-like construction with outwardly projecting transverse partitions, means for holding boxes bottom outwardly to the outer surface of the links of the carrier while moving with the carrier about the axis of its travel, and means adapted to deliver boxes to and place them in time severally on the carrier and over thc projecting partitions in such manner that a partition will be at the front end on the inner side of a box and at a time preceding the action of the means for holding the boxes to the carrier while turning about the axis of its travel.

13. In combination with'an endless carrier having a trough-like construction with transverse partitions, and a polygonal wheel having tangent faces adapted to receive a tray or link of the carrier fitting thereon, of a guide about the wheel adjacent thereto and concentric to its axis, and spring fingers adapted to bear yieldingly against the bottoms of boxes on the tray links of the carrier and hold them thereto While moving with the carrier and the wheel about its axis.

14. In a box filling machine, in combination with a moving endless tray carrier coniprising tray links each link of which is adapted to receive and carry an inverted box thereon While transferring its load to the box, a box runway extending in the same direction as and disposed to discharge boxes on to the carrier, and an endless box pusher moving in the same direction and synchronously with the tray carrier and providedwith a blade or blades adapted to engage a box in the runway and move it forward in proper time to fit on a passing tray link of the moving tray carrier.

l5. In a box filling machine, in combination with a moving endless tray carrier comprising tray links cach link of which is adapted to receive and carry an inverted box thereon while transferring its load to the box, a box runway disposed to discharge boxes on to the carrier, cheeks in the runway near its CII ' and a pitman riding on an eccentric and condiscliarging end adapted to bear against and g prevent the forward movement of the boxes except by positive force thereon, an endless chain provided with blades disposed to enter the runway and adapted to engage a box or boxes therein and push the saine along the runway and past said cheeks, and means for driving the endless chain box mover in time with the tray carrier.

16. ln a box filling i'nachinc, an elongated trough-way pivoted to swing horizontally, an endless tray carrier ruiming in and along said trough-way, a slide transversely of and secured to the trough-way at a distance from its pivot, a block in which said slide travels,

nected to said slide adapted to vibrate said trough-way and the carrier traveling thereon.

17 In a box filling machine, an elongated bed, a polygonal wheel or wheels mounted revolubly on the bed, a trough-way supported on the bed, another polygonal wheel or wheels mounted revolubly on the troughway, and an endless tray carrier carried on said polygonal wheels and running in said trough-way.

18. ln a box filling machine, an elongated bed, a polygonal wheel or wheels mounted revolubly on the bed, a vibrating trough-way pivoted and supported on the bed in front of the polygonal wheel or wheels on the bed, radial arms mounted on the trough-way at a distance from and in front of the polygonal wheel or Wheels on the bed, polygonal wheels mounted revolubly in the radial arms, and an endless tray carrier ruiming on said polygonal wheels and along in said trough-way.

19. n a box filling machine, an elongated bed, a polygonal wheel or wheels mounted revolubly on the bed, a vibrating trough-way pivoted and supported on the bed in front of the polygonal wheel or wheels on the bed, radial arms adjustable endwise on bolts secured to the trough-way and in and transversely of disks on said boltssaid disks having crown ratchet teeth, complementary ratchet toothed disks fixed on the troughway, another polygonal wheel or wheels mounted in said radial arms, and an endless tray carrier ruiming on said polygonal wheels and along in said trough-way.

20. In a box filling machine, an elongated bed, a carrier carrying wheel or wheels mounted revolubly thereon at one end thereof, an elongated trough-way pivoted medially and supported on the bed to oscillate in reverse directions at the two ends thereof, a carrier carrying wheel or wheels mounted on the trough-way at the end thereof distant from the wheel .or Wheels on the bed, an endless tray carrier carried on said wheels and running in said trough-way, and means for oscillating said trough-way 21. In a box filling machine, a supporting frame, an endless tray carrier, wheels at the ends of the run of the carrier on which it travels, an elongated trough-way onrand .along which the carrier runs medially past a sheet-like stream of matches discharged from a match making machine, said troughway being pivoted medially to oscillate horizontally the pivoted point of the troughlway being located at that side of the stream of matches beyond, in the direction of the travel of the carrier in the trough-way, where the carrier passes said stream of matches, and means to so oscillate the trough-way.

22. In a box 'filling machine, a stationary bed, a revoluble carrier carrying wheel or wheels mounted on the bed, an oscillatable trough-way pivoted on the bed in front of said wheel or Wheels, a revoluble carrier carrying wheel or wheels mounted on the troughway at a distance from said wheel or wheels on the bed, means for oscillating the troughway and the carrier traveling therein, a stationary curved guide about said wheel or wheels on the bed, and flat springs on said guide adapted to bear against boxes on the carrier while passing about the axis of said wheels on the stationary bed.

23. In a box :filling machine, an endless tray carrier consisting of elongated tray-like links pivoted together, a polygonal wheel or wheels on which said carrier iits and is cai*- ried, means for rotating said wheel or Wheels intermittently, an inclined box runway with box-retarding cheeks, an endless chain with box-pushing paddles that enter said runway, and means connecting said carrier having pushing paddles to the driving mechanism of the carrier so that the box feeding mechanism is timed to deliver boxes past said cheeks to the tray carrier suitably on coming to said polygonal wheel or wheels.

24. In a box filling machine, an endless tray carrier, an initial shaft having a carrier carrying wheel or wheels thereon, an intermediate shaft having an eccentric and a friction disk, a pitman riding on said eccentric and pivoted to a radial arm pivoted on said initial shaft, a pawl on the radial armengaging releasably a ratchet wheel on the initial shaft, a driving shaft, a friction wheel splined on the driving shaft and gearing adjustably with the friction disk on the intermediate shaft, an endless chain having box-pushing paddles, a chain Wheel shaft, and a sprocket chain ruiming on the chain wheel shaft and on said initial shaft.

25. In a box filling machine, an endless flexible tray carrier, comprising a series of elongated links each having a bottom and upturned sidesl longitudinally forming traylike links which sides on each link are pivoted to the sides or the two abutting links, and a plurality of erinanent transverse partitions in each trayilink extending from the bottom outwardly to a distance beyond the sides of the tray links substantially equal to the depth of the sides.

26. In a box filling machine, an endless flexible tray carrier, comprising a series of elongated links each having a bottom and u turned sides longitudinally forming traylike links which sides on each link are pivoted to the sides of the two abutting links, and a plurality of permanent transverse partitions in each tray link one of the partitions being located near the front end of the tray link and the other partition or partitions being located at points intermediate of the length of the tray link, whereby a box placed over a link will fit at its front end against the front partition and the remaining partition or partitions will divide the box into compartments while held to the carrier.

27. In a box filling machine, a box runway comprising an elongated box-like trough in inclined position through which boxes will slide freely by gravity, rigid cheeks on the side walls of the runway trough at its lower end projecting into the runway and adapted to engage frictionally against boxes passing them and hold them against free movement by gravity, and active means in the runway adapted to push slightly compressible boxes past the projecting friction devices.

28. In a box filling machine, an endless flexible carrier having tray -like links, a wheel on and around with which the carrier is carried, a permanent guide about and concentric with the axis of said carrier carrying wheel, flat furcate elastic fingers fixed on the guide and projecting inwardly in inclined positions therefrom and adapted to bear against the bottoms of boxes opposite the side walls thereof and hold the edges of the longitudinal walls of the boxes against the edges of the side walls of the tray-like links of the carrier.

In testimony whereof, I alix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MORTIMER M. ROBB.

Witnesses: i

l JOHN B. HEIMICK,

ROBERT H. BULLocI-L 

